2,566 research outputs found
An autonomous satellite architecture integrating deliberative reasoning and behavioural intelligence
This paper describes a method for the design of autonomous spacecraft, based upon behavioral approaches to intelligent robotics. First, a number of previous spacecraft automation projects are reviewed. A methodology for the design of autonomous spacecraft is then presented, drawing upon both the European Space Agency technological center (ESTEC) automation and robotics methodology and the subsumption architecture for autonomous robots. A layered competency model for autonomous orbital spacecraft is proposed. A simple example of low level competencies and their interaction is presented in order to illustrate the methodology. Finally, the general principles adopted for the control hardware design of the AUSTRALIS-1 spacecraft are described. This system will provide an orbital experimental platform for spacecraft autonomy studies, supporting the exploration of different logical control models, different computational metaphors within the behavioral control framework, and different mappings from the logical control model to its physical implementation
Developing a distributed electronic health-record store for India
The DIGHT project is addressing the problem of building a scalable and highly available information store for the Electronic Health Records (EHRs) of the over one billion citizens of India
A comprehensive approach to MPSoC security: achieving network-on-chip security : a hierarchical, multi-agent approach
Multiprocessor Systems-on-Chip (MPSoCs) are pervading our lives, acquiring ever increasing relevance in a large number of applications, including even safety-critical ones. MPSoCs, are becoming increasingly complex and heterogeneous; the Networks on Chip (NoC paradigm has been introduced to support scalable on-chip communication, and (in some cases) even with reconfigurability support. The increased complexity as well as the networking approach in turn make security aspects more critical. In this work we propose and implement a hierarchical multi-agent approach providing solutions to secure NoC based MPSoCs at different levels of design. We develop a flexible, scalable and modular structure that integrates protection of different elements in the MPSoC (e.g. memory, processors) from different attack scenarios. Rather than focusing on protection strategies specifically devised for an individual attack or a particular core, this work aims at providing a comprehensive, system-level protection strategy: this constitutes its main methodological contribution. We prove feasibility of the concepts via prototype realization in FPGA technology
Secure migration of WebAssembly-based mobile agents between secure enclaves
Cryptography and security protocols are today commonly used to protect data at-rest and in-transit. In contrast, protecting data in-use has seen only limited adoption. Secure data transfer methods employed today rarely provide guarantees regarding the trustworthiness of the software and hardware at the communication endpoints.
The field of study that addresses these issues is called Trusted or Confidential Computing and relies on the use of hardware-based techniques. These techniques aim to isolate critical data and its processing from the rest of the system. More specifically, it investigates the use of hardware isolated Secure Execution Environments (SEEs) where applications cannot be tampered with during operation. Over the past few decades, several implementations of SEEs have been introduced, each based on a different hardware architecture. However, lately, the trend is to move towards architecture-independent SEEs.
As part of this, Huawei research project is developing a secure enclave framework that enables secure execution and migration of applications (mobile agents), regardless of the underlying architecture. This thesis contributes to the development of the framework by participating in the design and implementation of a secure migration scheme for the mobile agents. The goal is a scheme wherein it is possible to transfer the mobile agent without compromising the security guarantees provided by SEEs. Further, the thesis also provides performance measurements of the migration scheme implemented in a proof of concept of the framework
A COGNITIVE ARCHITECTURE FOR AMBIENT INTELLIGENCE
L’Ambient Intelligence (AmI) è caratterizzata dall’uso di sistemi pervasivi per
monitorare l’ambiente e modificarlo secondo le esigenze degli utenti e rispettando
vincoli definiti globalmente. Questi sistemi non possono prescindere da requisiti
come la scalabilità e la trasparenza per l’utente. Una tecnologia che consente di
raggiungere questi obiettivi è rappresentata dalle reti di sensori wireless (WSN),
caratterizzate da bassi costi e bassa intrusività . Tuttavia, sebbene in grado di
effettuare elaborazioni a bordo dei singoli nodi, le WSN non hanno da sole le capacitÃ
di elaborazione necessarie a supportare un sistema intelligente; d’altra parte
senza questa attività di pre-elaborazione la mole di dati sensoriali può facilmente
sopraffare un sistema centralizzato con un’eccessiva quantità di dettagli superflui.
Questo lavoro presenta un’architettura cognitiva in grado di percepire e controllare
l’ambiente di cui fa parte, basata su un nuovo approccio per l’estrazione
di conoscenza a partire dai dati grezzi, attraverso livelli crescenti di astrazione.
Le WSN sono utilizzate come strumento sensoriale pervasivo, le cui capacità computazionali
vengono utilizzate per pre-elaborare i dati rilevati, in modo da consentire
ad un sistema centralizzato intelligente di effettuare ragionamenti di alto
livello.
L’architettura proposta è stata utilizzata per sviluppare un testbed dotato degli
strumenti hardware e software necessari allo sviluppo e alla gestione di applicazioni
di AmI basate su WSN, il cui obiettivo principale sia il risparmio energetico. Per
fare in modo che le applicazioni di AmI siano in grado di comunicare con il mondo
esterno in maniera affidabile, per richiedere servizi ad agenti esterni, l’architettura
è stata arricchita con un protocollo di gestione distribuita della reputazione.
È stata inoltre sviluppata un’applicazione di esempio che sfrutta le caratteristiche
del testbed, con l’obiettivo di controllare la temperatura in un ambiente
lavorativo. Quest’applicazione rileva la presenza dell’utente attraverso un modulo
per la fusione di dati multi-sensoriali basato su reti bayesiane, e sfrutta questa
informazione in un controllore fuzzy multi-obiettivo che controlla gli attuatori sulla
base delle preferenze dell’utente e del risparmio energetico.Ambient Intelligence (AmI) systems are characterized by the use of pervasive
equipments for monitoring and modifying the environment according to users’
needs, and to globally defined constraints. Furthermore, such systems cannot ignore
requirements about ubiquity, scalability, and transparency to the user. An
enabling technology capable of accomplishing these goals is represented by Wireless
Sensor Networks (WSNs), characterized by low-costs and unintrusiveness. However,
although provided of in-network processing capabilities, WSNs do not exhibit
processing features able to support comprehensive intelligent systems; on the other
hand, without this pre-processing activities the wealth of sensory data may easily
overwhelm a centralized AmI system, clogging it with superfluous details.
This work proposes a cognitive architecture able to perceive, decide upon, and
control the environment of which the system is part, based on a new approach to
knowledge extraction from raw data, that addresses this issue at different abstraction
levels. WSNs are used as the pervasive sensory tool, and their computational
capabilities are exploited to remotely perform preliminary data processing. A central
intelligent unit subsequently extracts higher-level concepts in order to carry on
symbolic reasoning. The aim of the reasoning is to plan a sequence of actions that
will lead the environment to a state as close as possible to the users’ desires, taking
into account both implicit and explicit feedbacks from the users, while considering
global system-driven goals, such as energy saving. The proposed conceptual architecture
was exploited to develop a testbed providing the hardware and software
tools for the development and management of AmI applications based on WSNs,
whose main goal is energy saving for global sustainability. In order to make the
AmI system able to communicate with the external world in a reliable way, when
some services are required to external agents, the architecture was enriched with
a distributed reputation management protocol.
A sample application exploiting the testbed features was implemented for addressing
temperature control in a work environment. Knowledge about the user’s
presence is obtained through a multi-sensor data fusion module based on Bayesian
networks, and this information is exploited by a multi-objective fuzzy controller
that operates on actuators taking into account users’ preference and energy consumption
constraints
- …